Report – 2015 Volvo XC90 to feature Plug-in Hybrid variant

Posted on: Dec 4, 2013 - 12:04pm IST

The aging Volvo XC90 will get a successor in late 2014. While the SUV has not been caught road testing (Volvo is testing the mechanicals of the car on a hacked XC70 shell), images previewing the SUV’s design were teased during the media presentation of the Volvo Concept Coupe in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Based on these presentation images, our design artist, Shoeb, rendered the production-ready 2015 XC90 which is expected within a year from now, and according to Auto Guide, Volvo will launch the car with conventional petrol and diesel engines (in-line four-cylinder layout), and a plug-in hybrid variant.

Our artist’s rendering of the 2015 Volvo XC90 based on presentation images.

The Plug-in hybrid variant could be called ‘Twin Engine’, and will combine an electric motor with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 300 hp, and churning 600 Nm of torque. This variant of the XC90 will provide “class-leading” efficiency, the report says. Volvo recently announced that by the end of this decade, all their cars would feature no more than four-cylinders, and that five- and six-cylinder engines would have no place in their lineup.

The new XC90 will be the first car to use the brand’s new SPA (Scalable Platform Architecture) which would eventually underpin cars as small as the S60. Based on the presentation images, it seems that design inspiration for the SUV comes from the Concept Coupe, with the T-Shaped headlights and ‘floating grille’ layout.

– The bezel around the grill and above the lamps should be smoothened with the bodywork, – The shape/surface of the grill is disproportioned if you check the teaser image – Idem for the lights – The vertical lines in the grill should feel like they’re concave – The air intakes need to be angled a bit sharper inward (inward towards the back of the car) – The air intakes need to be narrowed in height – a horizontal line lower line under the lower air intakes is probably added, analogue to the concept cars. – The mirror size is too small. probably a bit higher – The flowing angle from the hood towards the mirrors shall be more concept-like

Overall a very good impression, but the real character of the coupe should be transfered I guess… The result will be less blobby, sharper and finer.